1. Field of Embodiments of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to semiconductor processing and, more particularly, to a stacked die module and techniques for forming a stacked die module.
2. Description of the Related Art
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of embodiments of the present invention, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of embodiments of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Packaging of electrical circuits is a key element in the technological development of systems implementing electrical components. Various techniques have been developed to meet the continued demands for improving system performance and capability. Engineers have been challenged with finding ways to increase hardware capabilities while the space in which to provide these hardware capabilities continues to decrease.
One technique for saving valuable system board geography is to implement die stacking techniques. A standard integrated circuit package, such as a memory or processor package, may include a substrate whereon chips or die may be stacked. A first die may be adhesively and/or electrically coupled to a substrate. A second die may then be stacked on top of the first die and adhesively and/or electrically coupled to the first die. In addition or alternatively, the second die may be electrically coupled directly to the substrate by bondwires or leads, for example, or electrically coupled to the substrate through vias in the first die. A third die may then be attached to the second die, and so forth.
While conventional stacking techniques provide more hardware capability in smaller areas by eliminating the need to populate additional substrate surface area for each individual die used in the system, these techniques have several disadvantages. One problem is that die stacks are often limited in the number of die they may contain because of inefficiencies associated with accessing each die in a die stack. For example, traditional die stacks that utilize bondwires for communicative coupling may employ a shingle stack arrangement to facilitate access to an attachment point for the bondwires on each die of a die stack. In a conventional shingle stack arrangement, each die is slightly shifted in one direction with respect to the die on which it is placed. This shift exposes a portion along the edge of each die, which provides an access point for communication with the die. However, continually skewing the shingle stack with additional die will cause the die stack to become overly elongate in the direction of the skew. This can create an obstacle to accessing exposed surfaces under the overhang created by the die stack, such as the surface of the substrate. Further, traditional shingle stacks can become unstable with the addition of too many die.